U.S. patent application number 17/500565 was filed with the patent office on 2022-02-03 for display device.
The applicant listed for this patent is BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Dejun BU, Paoming TSAI, Haoran WANG.
Application Number | 20220036774 17/500565 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005902611 |
Filed Date | 2022-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220036774 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WANG; Haoran ; et
al. |
February 3, 2022 |
DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
The present disclosure relates a display device, including a
flexible display panel with a bendable region and a flexible
support attached to a back side of the flexible display panel, the
flexible support includes a flexible support body, and a first part
of the flexible support body corresponding to the bendable region
is provided with a concave structure.
Inventors: |
WANG; Haoran; (Beijing,
CN) ; BU; Dejun; (Beijing, CN) ; TSAI;
Paoming; (Beijing, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD. |
Beijing |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005902611 |
Appl. No.: |
17/500565 |
Filed: |
October 13, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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16606150 |
Oct 17, 2019 |
11176851 |
|
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PCT/CN2019/077410 |
Mar 8, 2019 |
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17500565 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 51/0097 20130101;
H01L 2251/5338 20130101; H01L 51/5246 20130101; G09F 9/301
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G09F 9/30 20060101
G09F009/30; H01L 51/00 20060101 H01L051/00; H01L 51/52 20060101
H01L051/52 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 28, 2018 |
CN |
201820799628.6 |
Claims
1. A display device, comprising a flexible display panel with a
bendable region and a flexible support attached to a back side of
the flexible display panel, wherein the flexible support comprises
a flexible support body, a first part of the flexible support body
corresponding to the bendable region is provided with a concave
structure, and a second part corresponding to an unbendable region
of the flexible display panel, wherein a sum of an area of the
first part and an area of the second part is larger than an area of
the flexible display panel.
2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a depth of the
concave structure is less than a thickness of the flexible support
body.
3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the concave
structure comprises a strip groove, and a length extension
direction of the strip groove is parallel to a bending axis of the
bendable region.
4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein an opening area
of the strip groove is larger than a bottom area of the strip
groove.
5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein a cross section
of the strip groove perpendicular to the length extension direction
is V-shape, trapezoidal or U-shape.
6. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the strip
groove is at least partially filled with a buffer material.
7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a depth of the
concave structure is equal to a thickness of the flexible support
body.
8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the concave
structure comprises a strip groove, a length extension direction of
the strip groove is perpendicular to a bending axis of the bendable
region.
9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the concave
structure comprises a through hole penetrating the flexible support
body in a thickness direction.
10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein a cross
section of the through hole along a direction perpendicular to the
thickness direction is rectangular, rhombic or hexagonal.
11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible
support body is a metal film layer.
12. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible
support body further comprises an adhesive layer, the flexible
support body is attached to the flexible display panel through the
adhesive layer.
13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive
layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.
14. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of
the flexible support ranges from 15 um to 500 um.
15. The display device according to claim 14, wherein the thickness
of the flexible support ranges from 50 um to 250 um.
16. The display device according to claim 14, wherein the thickness
of the flexible support body ranges from 15 um to 150 um.
17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein the thickness
of the flexible support body ranges from 30 um to 50 um.
18. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display
device is a foldable display device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 16/606,150 filed on Oct. 17, 2019,
which is the U.S. national phase of PCT Application No.
PCT/CN2019/077410 filed on Mar. 8, 2019, and claims priority to
Chinese Patent Application No. 201820799628.6 filed on May 28,
2018, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety
by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a field of a display
device manufacturing technology, and in particular to a display
device.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A development trend of intelligent, portable and flexible is
one of the main development directions of current electronic
devices. A new display device represented by an Organic
Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display device has attracted more and
more attention and recognition because of its lightness, gorgeous,
energy-saving, especially the outstanding characteristic of
flexibility.
[0004] Comparing to a conventional flat panel display, the most
outstanding advantage of a flexible display is that the flexible
display breaks through an traditional concept of two-dimensional
display and expands the application field of the display into more
aspects of living scenario and portable devices. Foldable display,
as a development direction of a new generation of a flexible
display technology, has received extensive attention in the
industry. The main problems and difficulties are: the flexible
display device is relatively light and thin, and the bending
resistance and impact resistance are poor; a large local
deformation caused by bending for a long time may lead to
denaturation of polymer materials in the display, an occurrence of
"creases" and "white lines" etc. in a bendable region, resulting in
failure of the display.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure provides a display device, including
a flexible display panel with a bendable region and a flexible
support attached to a back side of the flexible display panel,
wherein the flexible support includes a flexible support body, a
first part of the flexible support body corresponding to the
bendable region is provided with a concave structure, and a second
part corresponding to an unbendable region of the flexible display
panel, wherein a sum of an area of the first part and an area of
the second part is larger than an area of the flexible display
panel.
[0006] Furthermore, a depth of the concave structure is less than a
thickness of the flexible support body.
[0007] Furthermore, the concave structure includes a strip groove,
and a length extension direction of the strip groove is parallel to
a bending axis of the bendable region.
[0008] Furthermore, an opening area of the strip groove is larger
than a bottom area of the strip groove.
[0009] Furthermore, a cross section of the strip groove
perpendicular to the length extension direction is V-shape,
trapezoidal or V-shape.
[0010] Furthermore, the strip groove is at least partially filled
with a buffer material.
[0011] Furthermore, a depth of the concave structure is equal to a
thickness of the flexible support body.
[0012] Furthermore, the concave structure includes a strip groove,
a length extension direction of the strip groove is perpendicular
to a bending axis of the bendable region.
[0013] Furthermore, the concave structure includes a through hole
penetrating the flexible support body in a thickness direction.
[0014] Furthermore, a cross section of the through hole along a
direction perpendicular to the thickness direction is rectangular,
rhombic or hexagonal.
[0015] Furthermore, the flexible support body is a metal film
layer.
[0016] Furthermore, the flexible support body further comprises an
adhesive layer, the flexible support body is attached to the
flexible display panel through the adhesive layer.
[0017] Furthermore, the adhesive layer is a pressure sensitive
adhesive layer.
[0018] Furthermore, a thickness of the flexible support is 15
um-500 um.
[0019] Furthermore, the thickness of the flexible support is 50
um-250 um.
[0020] Furthermore, the thickness of the flexible support body is
15 um-150 um.
[0021] Furthermore, the thickness of the flexible support body is
30 um-50 um.
[0022] Furthermore, the display device is a foldable display
device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bendable region
section according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bendable region
section according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bendable
region section according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0033] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bendable
region section according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bendable
region section according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bendable
region section according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0036] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating an assembling
state of a flexible support and a flexible display panel according
to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0037] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating an assembling
state of a flexible support and a flexible display panel according
to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] Features and principles of the present disclosure will be
described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
drawings, and the embodiments cited are used only to explain the
present disclosure, rather than to limit the scope of protection of
the present disclosure.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 13, some embodiments of the present
disclosure provide a display device, the display device includes a
flexible support, the flexible support is attached to a back side
of a flexible display panel with a bendable region, the flexible
support includes a flexible support body, and a first part 1 of the
flexible support body corresponding to the bendable region is
provided with a concave structure.
[0040] The flexible support may be attached to the back side of the
flexible display panel, that is, on another surface opposite to a
surface for image display, which enhances impact resistance and
bending resistance of the flexible display panel. In some
embodiments, the flexible support includes a flexible support body.
Optionally, the flexible support may also include a film structure
for attaching the flexible support body to a display substrate.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first
part 1 of the flexible support body is corresponding to the
bendable region of the flexible display panel, and a concave
structure is arranged on the first part 1, so that a bending stress
produced by the flexible display panel during bending may be
distributed along a thickness variation boundary of every concave
structure, rather than concentrated near a bending axis. The
concave structure may disperse stress, avoid a large local
deformation caused by bending of long time due to a stress
concentration, which may lead to a denaturation of polymer
materials in the display, and avoid an occurrence of "creases" and
"white lines" etc. in the bendable region. The "bending axis"
described above represents an axis around which the flexible
display panel is bent. In some embodiments of the present
disclosure, the bending axis extends along a Y axis shown in FIG.
1.
[0041] Specific structural forms of the concave structure may be
varied, provided that an effect of dispersing stress is realized.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first part 1
includes a first surface deviating from the flexible display panel
and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second
surface is to be attached with the flexible display panel.
[0042] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the
concave structure may include a plurality of grooves or through
holes recessed in a direction from the first surface to the second
surface. In other words, a depth of the concave structure may be
set to be less than a thickness of the flexible support body. And
the concave structure may be opened on the first surface without
penetrating the flexible support body in a thickness direction. In
other embodiments, a depth of the concave structure may be set to
be equal to a thickness of the flexible support body, that is, a
through-hole structure is formed through the flexible support body
in the thickness direction.
[0043] When the flexible support is connected to the flexible
display panel, the second surface is connected to the back side of
the flexible display panel (a surface opposite to a display
surface). In some embodiments, for example, when a separate
flexible support is attached to a flexible display panel, the
second surface may be provided with a adhesive layer, that is, the
flexible support body is attached to the flexible display panel
through the adhesive layer. In other embodiments, the flexible
support may also be pre-attached to the flexible display panel by
other processes before the flexible display panel is
manufactured.
[0044] When the concave structure includes a plurality of the
grooves, shapes and distributions of the grooves may be varied. In
some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of
grooves is a plurality of strip grooves arranged side by side.
[0045] In some embodiments, the first part is a rectangular
structure. Each of the plurality of strip grooves extends along a
width or length direction of the first part 1. FIG. 1 shows a
schematic diagram of a structure of each of the plurality of strip
grooves extends along a width direction of the first part 1 (Y
direction in FIG. 1); and FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a
structure of each of the plurality of strip grooves extends along a
length direction of the first part 1 (X direction in FIG. 2).
[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible display panel may be bent
along the bending axis, wherein an extension direction of the
bending axis is parallel to a Y direction in FIG. 1. In some
embodiments, the strip grooves may be set to extend along the Y
direction, i.e., an extension direction of each strip groove is
parallel to the bending axis of the flexible display panel.
Generally speaking, the concave structure shown in FIG. 1 is
suitable for a flexible support body with a large thickness. The
flexible support body in the flexible support is to provide the
display substrate with enhanced impact resistance and bending
resistance. In other words, the flexible support body itself is not
easy to be bent and has a high strength. In view of this situation,
a plurality of strip grooves parallel to the direction of the
bending axis are arranged on the flexible support body, which makes
the first part 1 of the flexible support body has a good strength
and a good bending performance at the same time.
[0047] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a cross
section of each of the plurality of strip grooves 11 perpendicular
to a length extension direction is V-shape, trapezoidal or U-shape,
as shown in FIG. 8-FIG. 10.
[0048] When the cross section of each of the plurality of strip
grooves 11 is trapezoidal, an opening area of each of the plurality
of strip grooves 11 is larger than a bottom area of each of the
plurality of strip grooves 11, as shown in FIG. 10. Similarly, for
a V-shaped or U-shaped strip groove, an opening area is larger than
a bottom area. When the cross section of the strip groove is
rectangular, an opening area is equal to a bottom area.
[0049] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the
plurality of strip grooves 11 is at least partially filled with a
buffer material 3. The buffer material 3 plays a role in buffer and
partial rebound. When flexible support is applied to the flexible
display panel, impact resistance of flexible display panel is
improved, and the flexible display panel may be restored from
bending state to plane state more easily.
[0050] Specific arrangement positions and shapes of the buffer
material 3 may be varied. In some embodiments of the present
disclosure, each of the plurality of strip grooves 11 includes a
first side wall and a second sidewall, and the buffer material 3
may be arranged on the first side wall or the second side wall.
There is a gap between the buffer material 3 and the second side
wall or the first side wall.
[0051] Or, the first side wall and the second side wall are both
provided with the buffer material 3, and there is a gap between the
buffer material 3 arranged on the first side wall and the buffer
material 3 arranged on the second side wall, as shown in FIG. 11
and FIG. 12. FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are schematic diagrams
illustrating a structure of the buffer material 3 arranged in a
groove 11 with a trapezoidal cross section. But specific
arrangement positions and shapes of the buffer material 3 are not
limited to the above.
[0052] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the buffer
material 3 may be an elastic material or a foamed porous material,
but is not limited to the above.
[0053] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the
concave structure includes a plurality of through holes 12, a shape
of the through holes 12 may be regular or irregular, such as strip,
rhombus, hexagon, circular and round end and square hole, but not
limited to the above. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a
structure of a flexible support with a rhombus through hole 12.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
flexible support with a hexagon through hole 12. FIG. 5 is a
schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a flexible support
with a circular through hole 12. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram
illustrating a structure of a flexible support with a through hole
12 with a shape of round end and square hole.
[0054] In some embodiments, the through holes 12 are evenly
distributed on the first part 1.
[0055] The quantity and size of the through hole 12 may be
determined according to actual needs.
[0056] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a
structure of through-hole distributed continuously may be arranged
and a length direction of the structure extends along a direction
perpendicular to the direction of the bending axis of the flexible
display panel, i.e., along the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of strip concave structures is
arranged on the first part 1 of the flexible support body, each
strip concave structure runs through the flexible support body in a
direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flexible
display panel. Therefore, these strip concave structures may also
be called "through holes", and their length extension directions
(or a direction of maximum size) are parallel to the flexible
display panels. Generally speaking, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2
is suitable for a flexible support body with a small thickness.
When the thickness of the flexible support body is small, the
flexible support has a good bending performance, but can not
provide enough structural strength to avoid a bending stress
concentrating in a local bendable region. In order to avoid the
stress concentration, a strip concave structure (strip through
holes distributed continuously) extending along a direction
perpendicular to the direction of the bending axis may be arranged.
The strip concave structure makes the bending stress distribute
along a thickness variation boundary of every strip through hole,
so that the stress in the bending area may be dispersed
effectively.
[0057] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the flexible
support also includes a second part 2 at least connected partially
to an unbendable region of the flexible display panel.
[0058] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which
a first part 1 of a flexible support is attached to a bendable
region of a flexible substrate, and a second part 2 of a flexible
support is attached to an unbendable region of a flexible display
panel 400.
[0059] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which
a first part 1 of a flexible support is attached to a bendable
region of a flexible substrate, and a second part 2 of a flexible
support is attached to an unbendable region of a flexible display
panel 400.
[0060] The second part 2 enhances impact resistance of the
unbendable region of the flexible display panel 400, and a size of
the second part 2 may be adjusted according to actual needs.
[0061] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in order to
satisfy the assembling requirements (requirements of assembling the
flexible display panel 400 and a display device shell, wherein a
flexible support and the shell shall be matched so as to fix a
display substrate), a sum of an area of the first part 1 and an
area of the second part 2 may be larger than an area of the
flexible display panel 400. Of course, in other scenarios, the sum
of the area of the first part 1 and the area of the second part 2
may be set equal to or less than the area of flexible display panel
400.
[0062] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the flexible
support body 100 is a metal film layer, which plays a role in
enhancing the strength of the flexible display panel 400.
[0063] It should be noted that, the flexible support body 100 may
be made of other materials, but other materials need to have a
certain flexibility and strength, may be used for supporting, and
may enhance impact resistance and bending resistance of the
flexible display panel.
[0064] The first part 1 of the flexible support body 100 is to
strengthen the protection and disperse stress of the bendable
region of the flexible display panel 400, so various grooves or
through holes are arranged on the first part 1; while the second
part 2 of the flexible support body 100 is only to enhance the
strength of the flexible display panel 400, so there is no need to
set any concave structure on the second part 2.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 7, in some embodiments of the present
disclosure, the flexible support includes a flexible support body
100, the flexible support body 100 includes a third surface and a
fourth surface arranged on an opposite side of the third surface,
and the fourth surface of the flexible support body 100 is provided
with a adhesive layer 200 and a detached film layer 300
successively.
[0066] It should be noted that, the third surface and fourth
surface of the flexible support body 100 are one surface of the
whole flexible support body 100 respectively. The first surface and
the second surface are one surface of the first part 1
respectively. The flexible support body 100 includes the first part
1. Therefore, the third surface and the first surface are at a same
plane, the fourth surface and the second surface of the first part
1 are at a same plane, and in an embodiment in which the flexible
support body 100 includes the first part 1 only, the third surface
and the first surface are the same structure, and the fourth
surface and the second surface are the same structure. In an
embodiment in which the flexible support body 100 includes the
first part 1 and the second part 2, the range of the third surface
is larger than that of the first surface, and the range of the
fourth surface is larger than that of the second surface.
[0067] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the adhesive
layer 200 is a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer, and PSA is
highly sensitive to pressure, which helps to avoid an occurrence of
degumming, and ensures the stability of the connection between the
flexible support body 100 and the flexible display panel 400,
[0068] When the flexible support is applied to the flexible display
panel 400, the detached film layer 300 is removed, and then the
flexible support is overlaid on the flexible display panel 400
through the adhesive layer 200. FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are schematic
diagrams illustrating the flexible support body 100 which is
attached to the flexible display panel 400 through the adhesive
layer 200. The flexible support body 100 is attached to the
flexible display panel 400 through adhering, and the flexible
support body 100 is fully adhered to the flexible display panel
400, which effectively ensures impact resistance and bending
resistance of the flexible display panel 400.
[0069] The above embodiment in which the adhesive layer 200 and the
detached film layer 300 are provided is suitable for the case where
a user attaches the flexible support to the flexible display panel
separately. In other embodiments, for example, a flexible support
may be pre-attached to a flexible display panel by any suitable
process before the flexible display panel is manufactured, and
there may also be no adhesive layer 200 and detached film layer 300
arranged on the flexible support.
[0070] An overall thickness of the flexible support and a thickness
of the flexible support body 100 may be set according to actual
needs. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the overall
thickness of the flexible support is 15 um-150 um, and the
thickness of the flexible support body 100 is 15 um-150 um.
Furthermore, the thickness of flexible support may be 50 um-250 um.
The thickness of flexible support body may be 30-50 um.
[0071] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the
flexible display panel in the display device includes a body, the
body includes a bendable region and an unbendable region and a back
side of the body is provided with the flexible support. The
unbendable region may be located on either or both sides of the
bendable region.
[0072] The flexible support includes a flexible support body, the
flexible support body includes at least a first part. The first
part is attached to the bendable region correspondingly, and
enhances impact resistance and bending resistance of the flexible
display panel, especially provides supporting for the bendable
region, so as to avoid an occurrence of "creases" and "white lines"
etc. due to a concentration of bending stress.
[0073] The first part includes a first surface and a second surface
arranged on an opposite side of the first surface, and a plurality
of grooves or through holes recessed in a direction from the first
surface to the second surface. The second surface is attached to
the back side of the flexible display panel (a surface opposite to
a display surface).
[0074] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the flexible
display panel is an OLED flexible display panel, and the flexible
support is arranged on the back side (non-light-emitting surface)
of the flexible display panel, but is not limited to the above.
[0075] What is described in the foregoing are optional embodiments
of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, for those
skilled in the art, any improvement and modification without
departing from the principle of the present disclosure are within
the protection scope of the present disclosure.
* * * * *